You are about to buy a pellet grill, but you are still not clear about the pros and cons of pellet grills?
Don’t worry!
We will give you detailed information about what you are interested in. Then, you can make an informed decision about what you’re buying. But before getting to know about the pros and cons of pellet grills, let’s take a look at a pellet grill to understand what it is.
What Are Pellet Grills?
Pellet grills, also called grill smokers, are outdoor cookers.
Electricity is required to operate pellet grills, and people use wood pellets as fuel sources. Because this type of grill needs electricity to work, some people may confuse them as electric grills. Actually, they are the grills that produce heat to burn wood pellets.
Pellet grills can do many different things such as grilling, smoking, roasting, and even baking. So we can say that a pellet grill includes the functions of a gas grill, a charcoal smoker, and a kitchen oven.
Let’s see what advantages and disadvantages pellet grills have.
Pros And Cons of Pellet Grills
#1 You Can Easily Control Temperature
For everyone, managing temperature when cooking with a grill is a big problem. When using a specific type of grills, it requires you to be skilled and concentrate on what you are putting on the grills. Specifically, you have to burn coal, adjust the vents, change the temperature accordingly, and so on. Quite tiring!
But it will be different when you use a pellet grill. Designed for Low, Medium, and High levels of heat, pellet grills are not too difficult to use. You only need to dial in the temperature you want and wait for about 15 minutes. Then, you can start grilling.
Besides, you can also adjust the temperature so that it’s suitable for each cooking process.
#2 Food Is Cooked Better With Pellet Grills
When cooked with a pellet grill, food will certainly taste better. Why can we say that?
For grilled or smoked food, the smoke flavor is one of the most important things to make the dishes delicious. So what makes the smoke flavor? The answer is having wood continuously burned in the pellet grill. Meanwhile, a gas grill or electric smoker cannot do that because it cannot burn wood.
During the cooking process, smoke creeps into each piece of meat. In the end, it makes the grilled or smoked food have an attractive and delicate taste.
#3 Pellet Grills Can Reduce Flare-ups
If you have ever grilled food on a gas grill or charcoal, you must know that a flare-up can happen if you do not pay attention to what you are cooking. Consequently, your dishes may be burnt, and you can no longer enjoy them.
However, you can be assured when smoking or grilling with a pellet grill without worrying about flare-ups.
Pellet grills are designed with a shield placed between the flames and your food. Hence, pellet grills can reduce flare-ups to the lowest level so that they will not likely to happen.
#4 They Are Easy To Use
Although pellet grills look intricate and difficult to use, they are not. Just pour wood pellets into the hopper and press several buttons to start and set the temperature; you can grill or smoke your food with ease.
Unlike charcoal grills, you don’t need to trigger fire manually or add wood when necessary. In general, you won’t have to be too busy when cooking with a pellet grill.
#5 You Can Cook A Big Amount of Food At The Same Time
With a big cooking area, you can freely cook many different dishes on a pellet grill at the same time.
A pellet grill has three compartments with different sizes, and you can choose to place which food is in each compartment. For example, you can use a medium-size grill for cooking 5 pieces of baby back ribs. Amazing! That’s not even the largest grill!
Cons of Pellet Grills
#1 They Are Quite Costly
With the above pros of pellet grills, the price should also be equal to their qualities, of course.
Depending on each brand and the quality, the price of pellet grills can range from $500 to $2000. Quite expensive, right? If you don’t want to buy a low-price pellet grill or spend too much money on a grill, mid-price is the best choice.
You don’t need to afford a thousand-dollar pellet grill, but you cannot expect a high-quality one at a low price.
#2 They Need Electricity To Operate
Unlike a charcoal grill and gas grill, you don’t need to burn wood and use gas. Nevertheless, electricity is a required thing to operate pellet grills, which is an unfavorable thing for picnics.
Therefore, if you want to use a pellet grill on a picnic, you should bring a generator as well. Now there are many types of portable generators for you to choose, but it’s unnecessary to bring a large capacity generator.
#3 You Cannot Use Pellet Grills In Wet Condition
As we mentioned above, a pellet grill needs electricity to operate. Meanwhile, something terrible will happen when you use electrical equipment in wet conditions.
Besides, when wood pellets come in contact with water, they won’t keep their original shapes and then turn into piles of sawdust that you can no longer use.
So never cook with a pellet grill in wet conditions!
#4 Unstable Temperature
Although you can manage the temperature of pellet grills, it can be changeable. For example, a cook dials the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. But it will fluctuate.
If you have an expensive controller, the temperature can only change by about 5 degrees. But if your controller is cheap, the temperature difference can be up to 25 degrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Biggest Flaw? How To Overcome?
The biggest flaw is that pellet grills need electricity to operate. That leads to other issues. For instance, you cannot use a pellet grill for cooking in wet conditions, or you cannot use it on a picnic without a power source.
To overcome this flaw, you can only avoid using pellet grills while it’s rainy or wet. Otherwise, your pellet grill will be damaged by water, and you can also be in danger. If you have the intention of cooking with a pellet grill on a picnic, remember to bring along a generator and some fuel.
Does A Pellet Grill Need Electricity For Operating?
The answer is yes, of course. You cannot change the way the pellet grill operates. Therefore, ensure the power source always available whenever you want to use your pellet grill.
How Much Electricity Does The Grill Consume?
It depends on how long you use your pellet grill. In the first 5 minutes, it takes 150 watts to operate. Then, electricity consumption will decrease to under 100 watts.
Can I Use Pellet Grills In A Picnic?
Entirely possible!
Pellet grills are portable, so you can take one with you for a wonderful day out. But don’t forget to have a generator by your side as it ensures your pellet grill works normally.
Bottom Lines
We have shared with you the pros and cons of pellet grills, as well as some frequently asked questions. Have you been clear about them?
Overall, a pellet grill has more advantages than disadvantages. That’s the reason why so many people have selected it for their outdoor parties. Are you about to be the next to have this ideal pellet grill by your side?